Vehicle-wheel.



E. K. BAKER.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 1912.

Patented Feb. 29,1916.

anion.-

ERLE K. BAKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO UNIVERSAL RIM COMPANY.OF

. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2h, 191 o.

Application filed March 20, 1912. Serial No. 685,103.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERLE 'K. BAKER, a.

therefor and constitutes a modification of the structure disclosed in myco-pending applications Serial No; 566,605, filed June 13, 1910 andSerial No. 636,693, filed July 3 1911.

The object of this invention is to simplify the construction of suchwheels and provide more symmetrical supports for the inner and outersides of the demountable rim whereby the use of the ordinary felly bandrim flanges may be avoided and the strain and distorting tendencies ofthe clamping devices shall be distributed evenly upon .both sides of thewheel and rim.

Other detail objects of my invention will appear hereinafter.

My invention consists in a wheel provided with a demountable rim and aplurality of rim clamping devices each including opposed supporting andclamping wedges ancl operating means all as hereinafter described andclaimed.

and in which:

My invention in a preferred form'is' disclosed in and will be readilyunderstood upon reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification Figure 1 is a side view of an automobile wheel, rimand mounting embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectionalview of therim, the felly, the "folly band and supporting and clampingmeans, as on the line 2-2 of Fig; 1; and, Fig. 3 is a face view takenfrom Fig. 2 and show ing the shape of the wedge lugs.

As shown in the drawings, an automobile wheel comprises a hub 3, spokes4, a folly 5 and a felly band 6. A rim 7 for a pneumatic tire 8 is ofgreater width than the wheel felly. The fellyband 6 is of substantiallythe same width as the Wheel felly. The dotted line AA of Fig. 2represents the middle plane of the wheel and felly band 6. It will benoted that the felly band is symmetrical as to such plane and has acylindrical inner periphery which fits the wheel telly. The band 6therefore has no flange or flanges, is of most simple form and may beeasily placed on the felly. The rim 7 is unlike the rims commonly usedin the past in so far as it is split or divided transversely at onepoint7' in its circumference. The ends ofthe rim are secured by a plate. (9)and projections (9) and a threaded member (9") and nut (9), said member(9") passing through the wheel felly, A driving connection is thusformed a between the wheel and rim'to prevent relative rotation thereof.This construction of the rim facilitates the placing of the rim within atire 8 and also facilitates the removal of 'the rim from the tire. Therim as shownis of greater circumference than the wheel felly so that itmay be easily slipped into andtaken off the wheelalong with the tire 8.For supporting, centering and clamping the rim upon the wheel, in theabsence of an annular flange on the telly, I employ a plurality ofclamping and 'wedging lug devices. Two of these devices are arranged onopposite sides of the wheel at other points, as well shown in Fig. 1.Each said device consists primarily of two opposed wedge lugs 10 and 11and a straight threaded bolt 12. This bolt extends through the fellyjust beneath. the

folly band and joins said lugs. Each lug is characterized by a wedgeportion 13-14 and a shank portion 15. These shank portions parallelrespective sidesof-the folly and are joined by the clamping bolt. Eachwedge lug presents a pointed or'tliin inner end 14 and a thicker. outerend or clamping part 13. The opposite wedges are noncontacting; that isneitheris long enough to reachthe other across the=periphery of thewheel. The inner wedge lug 10 is preferably secured and stationary onthe wheel felly whereas the outer wedge lug is movable and when loosenedmay bemoved out of the way of rim to permit the removal I andreplacement of the latter. It will be clear that when the bolt istightened upon the wedge lugs, as represented in Fig. 2, the rim will betightly bound between the opposed wedges. When all the bolts are thustightened to drive the wedges home the rim is placed under tension andthus firmly bound upon the tops or outer sur- 11o faces of the wedges.An incident or charvices, that is the action is such as to'some- .whatstraighten the portions ,of the rim circumferentially between adjacentpairs of wedges.

In practice I form a thread 15 in the shank 15 of the lug 10 and extendsaid shank to form a hollow rivet 15' which passes-through the felly.andis riveted on' the outer side of the felly as shown at 15. I also use abolt 12 which is threaded in the shank of the lug 10 and has a head 1&2,'This lug is arranged, as by a swaged on sleeve 12, to forcibly Withdrawthe wedge lug 11 when the bolt is backed out of the threaded lug.Obviously the head 12 of the bolt serves to forcibly drive the wedge pighome when the bolt is screwed into the I do not limit my invention tothe precise' construction herein shown as the substance of my inventionreadily may be embodied in somewhat diiferent structures for the samepurposes and perform the same functions; c

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. An automobile-wheel having a flangeless felly band in combinationwith a demountable rim thereon, a driving connection between said bandand rim to;pre"ent rela! tive rotation thereof and a plurality of setsof clamping wedge lugs spaced around the wheel felly and adapted tosecure the rim on the wheel 'by tensioning and circumferentiallydistorting the rim thereon, each said set comprising two opposednon-contacting lugs presenting clamping wedge portions between the fellyband and rim and a single felly bolt for clamping the same against therim.

2. An automobile. wheel having a felly i band, in combinationwith ademountable rim thereon, and a plurality of rim clamp- I ing devicesupon and spaced about the wheel fe'lly, each thereof comprising twoopposed non-contractmg wedges, bothnormally positioned between andcontacting both said rim and band and having shanks paralleling thesides of the wheel fell-y, 'and a headed clamping bolt passing throughsaid shanks and through the wheel felly beneath said band for closingsaid wedges against the Copieajot this patentmay he obtained for 'rim totension and circumferentially distort the same and thus secure it uponthe wheel.

3.'An automobile .wheel having a felly band bfsymmetrical cross sectionand cyrality of rim clamping devices upon and spaced about the wheelfelly, each thereof comprising two 'opposed non-contacting.

-wedge lugs presenting'pointed wedges between saidirim and band, and astraight clamping bolt passing through said lugs for closing said wedgesupon said band and against said rim to secure it upon said wheel. 4. Anautomobile wheel having a felly band, in combination with a demountablerim thereon, and a plurality of rim clamping devices upon and spacedabout the wheel felly, each thereof comprising two opposednon-contacting wedge lugs having clamping wedge portions normallypositioned between said rim and band and also having shanks parallelingthe sides of the wheel felly,'one said l'ug being fixed against theinner side of the wheel felly and the other being movable toward andfrom the front or outer sideof said 'felly, and a headed clamping boltpassing through said shanks and throughthe wheel felly beneath saidband, for closing said wedges against the rim to tension-andcircumferentially distort the same and thus secure it upon the wheel.

An automobile wheel having a felly band, in combination with ademountable rim thereomand a plurality of rim clamp ing devices upon andspaced about the wheel fellyr-each thereof comprising two opposednon-contacting wedge lugs having clamping wedge ,portions'presentedbetween said .rim and band and also havin shanks at the ward and fromthe same, and a headed felly bolt passing through said shanks adapted-to.move the outer'lug in both directions, whereby the wedge lugs maybeclosed against the rim to tension and circumferentiallv distort thesame'and thus secure it upon the wheel. I

In testimonv whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. this 12th day ofMarch, 1912,

in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' ERLE K. BAKER.

'itnesses: EDWARD F. WILsoN, JOHN R. Lernvnn.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. G.

